The invention relates to aqueous pigment dispersions comprising at least one dispersed pigment, an aqueous carrier and a copolymer prepared by polymerization of at least one macromonomer (1 ) having a terminal olefinic unsaturation with a mixture of olefinically unsaturated monomers (2), wherein the macromonomer (1 ) comprises 1 a) 5 - 100 % by weight of at least one polymerized acid functional unsaturated monomer, 1 b) optionally at least one polymerized hydroxy functional unsaturated monomer, and optionally 1 c) at least one further polymerized olefinically unsaturated monomer, and wherein the mixture of olefinically unsaturated monomers (2) comprises 2a) 5 - 80 % by weight of at least one unsaturated vinyl aromatic monomer, 2b) 5 - 50 % by weight of at least one vinyl monomer with at least one polar heterocyclic group with a 5 or 6 membered ring containing at least one ring nitrogen atom which is not connected to a hydrogen atom, and optionally 2c) other olefinically unsaturated monomers.